by Margot Callahan, contributing writer
You’ve been persuading and being persuaded your entire life. From your first cries at birth to something you likely did or will do today, you’ve “urged (someone) successfully to do something” or you’ve at least tried to. There isn’t much choice about it, except whether you’re being honest.
Jane Austen’s book “Persuasion” (published over 200 years ago) has as its main male character, Captain Wentworth, who put it, “You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope…I have loved none but you.” Wow! Now that’s persuasive. (And it worked; he got the girl.)
2026 – has persuasion changed? We are all living in an unprecedented time of persuasion. Your cell phone may be the ultimate persuasive device, demanding your attention. Demanding is not a very nice form of persuasion, but clearly it works. How honest is your cell phone and what it presents to you? Is it fair to give you only a perspective that it has figured out from your searches for what you think you need and feel and want? Do we learn anything from getting the same information repackaged over and over to make us happy and persuading us to think that our own ideas are correct?
There was a time, not so long ago, when you needed something, let’s say shoes, and you went to the store, found and tried on shoes and walked away, happy with a pair of shoes. Does it bother you that once you search for shoes, you get bombarded with all types of shoes – good ones, bad ones, high priced and low – and you find something, buy them and they’re not right and you have to either send them back, sometimes paying again for shipping, or getting stuck with them because they aren’t returnable? And, the bombardment doesn’t stop. You keep getting promos about shoes!
Or worse yet, you wanted shoes, but got distracted by something that went with shoes and out of nowhere you don’t have shoes, but something else you didn’t need.
Now, our devices are becoming more persuasive with AI as “the answer” to make our lives easier. Were our lives so difficult before?
Which brings us back to the honesty question. There are all these people who want you to follow them. Are they being honest with you? I won’t name names, (mostly because I don’t follow anyone except historian Heather Cox Richardson) but these “persuaders”, (calling them “influencers” has persuaded us to think them to be good) are making money off you and your time. You should be gaining from your time.
Do you really want to get creeped out? Google “Milgram experiment” (and then delete your history) and see how whacked following a perceived authority figure can be. There’s even an “influencer dilemma” that can make any terminal poster unhealthy because they end up doing things that are counter to their own morals. What a conundrum! Does it make sense to do something that makes you unhealthy and likely your audience too in order to make money? That may be the definition of persuasive amorality.
And have you noticed the disclaimer on all the AI generated stuff? “AI responses may include mistakes.” Try putting “may include mistakes” on your next school paper or test and see what happens. Why is anything that may include mistakes allowed to be the first response that comes up while searching?
And get this. I manage a Google maps page for a local business and received this email from Google: “Your Business Profile has recently been updated – either through user feedback or through our automated systems. This helps users see up to date information, like your location or business hours.” My first thought was, “Stay out of my business!” Why? Because the business hours hadn’t changed, but I had to spend time changing it back and emailing Google what they can do with their automated systems….well, I can’t say that here.
Then a friend reminded me about deleting my search history “all time” on all my devices so that social media, Google, YouTube, etc., couldn’t put me down any more rabbit holes. Voila’! I watch only what I want to watch when I want to watch it. I get suggestions for what I’m searching for while I’m searching and not for weeks after. I am back in control of my time and life, and you can be too.
Regarding the future of AI, I mostly think, “You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope…”
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About the author: Margot Callahan called Highland Park home, but now enjoys the beauty of Lancaster County. Writing for many years, she now shares her short stories with others.
